We have a new addition to Green and
Gorgeous, a beautiful Victorian Walled Garden, one acre in size
and only 15 minutes away (if you drive fast). I had been dreaming of
such a place after losing countless plants to the cold; our frost pocket here is usually a couple of degrees below the
coldest place in England. Then out of the blue I got an email from
the owner who was looking for a grower to bring some life back into
it. It had been in the care of their gardener Jack for, can you
believe it… 70 years! He died last year and since then it has been
waiting….I am not sure how happy Jack would be to see a flower
grower taking over, he was definitely a 'veg only' man. He certainly
looked after the soil well, it is the soil of any gardener's dreams and probably double dug for at least 60 years.
Before embarking on flower growing I
worked in a walled garden so I do have a bit of a soft spot for them
and fully appreciate their advantages (shelter and protection from
rabbits) and how bloody hot they can get on a decent summer's day. I
love their history, all the small signs and indicators of the hours
of labour and care that have gone before.
Anyway, I started digging a week ago
instead of getting the rotavator out, as I feel like Jack might still
be watching over. I have a long list of plants waiting to go in
including: hydrangeas, myrtle, viburnum, choisya, senecio, jasmine,
rosemary – shrubs for foliage so far. To inject some colour in
between these will be a mix of bulbs, perennials and annuals
including foxtail lilies, dahlias, crocosmia, ammi, larkspur,
craspedia and probably more that I haven't even dreamt of yet.
Rachel Siegfried